Feeding mechanism



July 16, 1935. M. E. FIRST` 2,008,247

FEEDING MECHANISM Filed vJuly 9, 1930 5 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR.

/czZ/m Zw? uy E6, 1935.

M. E. FIRST FEEDING MECHANISM 5 smug-sheet 2 Filed July 9, 1950 INVENTOR. Wn/on SIZ/2:77' BY Patented July `16, 1935 FICE FEEDING MECHANISM f YMaillon E. First, Lakewood, ohio, assignor to The C. O. Bartlett & Snow Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 9, 1930, soriaiNo. 466,686

s claims. (ol. zas-44) U This invention, relating as indicated to feeding mechanism, has specific reference to improvements in the clay feeding mechanism forming the subject matter of a patent to Arthur O; Dupuy,

5 No. 1,238,117, dated August 28, 1917. The mechanism disclosed in the above named patent is particularly applicable to the feeding. of coarse materials, such as clay, which materials have a tendency to` bridge over the discharge opening of the feeding chute, and which are to be preliminarily broken up or disintegratedA by the feeding means associated with the delivery sheet. Such mechanism is, however, unsatisfactory for the Vpurpose of feeding relatively fine or dry d materials, such as molding sand, due to the fact that such material .will flow freely through the spaces between the feeding bars so that the feeder fails in performing the function lfor which it is designed, namely the feeding of uniform quantities of the material from the feed chute to the receptacle or conveyor adapted to receive such material. Another ,disadvantage of the form of feeder construction as villustrated and described in the abovetnamed patent is that when certain types of material` are. soughtvto be fed thereby, such material will have a tendency to form a bridge across the feed chute, which bridge entirely overlies the feeding mechanism sometimes preventing the material from freely fiowing from the feed hopper to the feed bars. Y

The mechanism comprising my invention includes an auxiliary set of feeding bars which are arranged in a plane `parallel to the feeding bars ofthe above described construction, such auxiliary bars being positioned intermediately of those in theupper plane. An alternative form o f construction of the mechanism comprising my invention includes bending the intermediate porftion `of some or all of the feeder bars laterally of the ,plane or planesV of the ends thereof, which vintermediate portions will materially assist in the functioning of such feeder by breaking down t Aany bridges of material which may occur in the feed chutes and further assists in producing a superiorA feeding mechanism in the manner hereinafter more fully explained. By employing this form of construction all of the advantages Vof the mechanism diso1osed in the above named patent maybe realized, and, in addition a large class of "materials may be fed by such improved mecha'- nism which could not be handled by the construe# tion heretofore employed.` It is among the objects` of my invention to provide a feeding mechanism having'all of the above named desirable characteristics. Other objects of my invention `will appear as the description proceeds. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related, ends, said invention,. then, consists of-the means hereinafter fully described larly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following de`-,

and particus'cription s'et forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, 'such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used. i

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a part sectional, part elevational view of the feeding mechanism comprising my invention. shown in association with a delivery chute; Fig. 2 is aplan view o-f the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 with the feed chute omitted Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longtiudinal sectional view through one of the frame members of the feeding mechanism showing secured thereto, terminals Vof the feeder bars; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional View of the feeder bar sup-V porting frame taken on a plane substantially indicated by the line 4 4 in Fig. 3; Figs. 5,` 6and 7 are plan views of alternative forms of construction of the feederrbar arrangement` and supporting means; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary longi-L tudinal sectional View ofthe feeder bar support# i ing structure as illustrated in either Figs. 5 or 7;

` Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view of such supvof the ends; Fig. 11 is aview similar Vto Fig. 10

showing an alternative form of construction in which .the feeder bars are bent upwardly of the planeof their ends; and Fig. 12 is a view similar to Figs. 10 and 11 showing a form of construction iriwhich a combination of straight and bent feeder bars is employed.

.Referring more specifically to the drawings and more especially to Figs. 1 and 2, the delivery chute, from which the material to bev fed is Ydelivered to the mechanism comprising my invention, consists of sloping side members I and 2 which preferably are the sides of ahopper containing the material to be fed. In the particular embodiment of my invention sho-wn in Fig. 1 for purposes of illustration, the feeding mechanism is disposed at an angle with respect to the hori- Zontal, although it will be noted that the arrangement of such mechanism depends solely upon the particular requirements of such mechanism .and

the plant layout with which it is associated. Extending on opposite sides of the open bottom of the delivery chute are frame members 3 and 4 which have loosely mounted thereon a plurality of bars 5 which extend partially across Vthe space between such frame members. The specific manner'in which the terminals of Ythe bars 5 are loosely mounted on the side frames `3 and 4, is not important from Ythe standpoint of the operation of `the mechanism comprising my invention. The specic form of construction here shown for purposes of illustration, consists of slotted apertures 6 formed in the terminalsofxthe bars 5,V

which apertures receive pins 'I rwhich are secured to the frame members 3 and ll. The bars 5 are arranged in substantially parallel planes, the bars.

in the lower plane lying intermediate the bars in the upper plane. The overlying inner ends of the bars 5 are pivotally mounted on a driving member 8 which is `pivotally secured' torocker armsV 9. Oscillation of the rocker arms S'may be obtained in any suitable manner, such as the pitman IE?, which issuitably connected to an kec.- centric forming part ofthe driving mechanism which formsA no partv of this invention. In order tof prevent a packing or bridging of the material over the ieedingbarS, suchbars may be provided withprongs I I which will scrape off such packed material and prevent the formation of a bridging of the material over the feeding bars.

In the operation of thefeeding mechanism just described, the member 8 is caused Vto oscillate through limits preferably twice the Width Ybetween the feeder bars Vso? thatA a proper criss-cross action is effected by such bars resulting inan even feeding of the material,Y The arcuate travel of the upperY terminals of the rocker arms I!I will result in a similar movement ofthe feeder bars 5 so lthat the prongs I,I may dig into and destroy any bridging or caking of the material over the theV side of such open bottom, ,this frame rnemj-Y bei' being xed. and having pivotally secured thereto the terminals of bars I3 which, in this form of constructiomextend entirely acrossth'e bottom of the open feed chute and are pivotally secured at their` `opposite terminals to an oscillatable frame member I4. "I'he feeding of the material in the manner hereinbefore described is effected by this ,form of construction upon oscillation of the frame member I4 -by ra pitman I5 which may be connected to any suitable eccentric or like means for producing .a reciprocating motion. f j

Instead of having the feeder bars I3 pivotally rsupported at one end on a fixed framemember and their other ends similarly supported on an oscillatable Vframe member, bothV `such frame members may' be oscillatable as illustrated in Fig. 7 in which the side frames I6 and I1 have pivotally secured thereto the feederbars I3, the relative oscillation of theframe members I6 and I 'I being effected in the direction indicated by the arrows associated with Vthe pitmen I8 and I9 respectively effecting such reciprocation or oscil-V Vthe bars I3 inthe upper plane to the side frame members, and pins 2| which have 4coaxially mounted thereon spacer sleeves'22 which secure the bars I3 in the lower plane. .-Another form inwhich the principles of my invention may be advantageously employed, consists in rigidly securing the feeder bars I3 to side frame members 23, reciprocation of which may be effected by pitmen 24. In each of the above described forms of the construction, the arrangement of the feeder bars in spaced vertical and horizontal and staggered relation prevents dry or relatively thin material from'ilowing through the feeder `mechanism unlessV such 'mechanism is' in operation, and the rate at which the feeding takes place will be directly proportional toy the rate ofreciprccation of the frame: members, so that the feed vof thematerial may be accurately controlled. v j

Another form of constructionAof the feeder bars forming a part ofthe mechanism comprising my invention is mostclearlyillusftrated in Figs.

10, ll and 12 in which such bars extend transversely of the discharge end of the feed hopper `25, one end thereof being pivotally supported by a. pin 26 secured in an aperture provided 'therefor' in a bracket 21 which may be attached to one side ofthe feed hopper while the opposite ends ot such bars are pivotally` supported on areciprocating member 28 by means ofpivot pins 29. The ini termediate portion of therfeeder bars specically that portion thereof directly beneath the'feed hopperv 2 5 .is bent laterally of the plane of the ends thereof as at 30 in Fig; 10, such bars as illustrated this figure being bent Adownwardly with respect to the bottom` of the hopper. In Fig. 11 acconstruction similar to that illustrated in Fig. 10 is employed `with` the exception that the intermediateportions 3I of the feedY bars Ais `bent upwardly so as'to extend for a shortdistance into the feed hopper thereby, upon 'oscillation thereof, destroying and breaking down. any

bridges, and the like, of material which may form across the discharge' opening of such hopper.`

With the forms of construction villustrated in Fig. 10, a single row of bars may advantageously be employed for the purposeof feeding the ma-V terial although, as illustrated in Fig?.` l2, `such bent bars may be employed in association with straight feeder Ybars such Yas Y I 3 which have-been described inl connection with the previous figures.

Y According .to the particular typeof material which is to bev fed by the apparatus comprising my invention, the feed bars may be bent either upwardly as at 3I, or downwardly as at 30 in Figs. 1l and 10, respectively, and further, only rso many bent .bars as is advisable need be employed in connection with straight bars, as most clearly illustrated in Fig. 12. .The feeder bars which have their intermediate portions f bent laterally of the ends of vthe planes thereof may likewise be employed advantageously with vertically staggered bars, so that the combined effect of a positive feeding of the material as effected by the bent bars and an accurate control of such feeding by the staggered arrangement of the. bars 2,008,247 12, it will be noted that I have used similar reference numerals to designate like parts, such forms of construction as illustrated in these separate figures diifering only in the arrangement and combination of the several forms of feeder bars. Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards thev mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly ,claim as my invention:

1. In a material feeding mechanism, the combination of a material chute open at its bottom, a plurality of spaced bars lying in a. horizontal plane and extending-across such bottom, a plurality of spaced bars lying in a horizontal plane disposed in spaced relationship under said first named bars and intermediately thereof, one end of said bars being pivotally iiXed and means adaptedV to simultaneously reciprocate the other ends of all of said bars in a horizontal plane across the spaces between the same.

2. In a material feeding mechanism, the combination of a material chute open at its bottom, a plurality of spaced bars lying in a horizontal plane and extending across such bottom, a plurality of spaced bars lying in a horizontal plane disposed in spaced relationship under said first named bars and in overlapping relation therewith, one end of said bars being pivotally lxed, and means adapted to reciprocate the other ends of said bars in a horizontal plane across the spaces between the same.

3. In a material feeding mechanism, the combination of a material chute open at its bottom, a plurality of horizontally spaced vertically staggered bars extending across such bottom, said bars being pivotally fixed at one end, and means adapted to simultaneously reciprocate the other ends of all of said bars across the horizontal spaces between the same. l

4. In a material feeding mechanism, the combination of a material chute open at its bottom, a plurality of horizontally and vertically spaced bars arranged in staggered relation extending across such bottom, two frame members mounted, one on each side of-such bottom opening, said bars pivotally secured to said frame members, and means adapted to reciprocate at least one of said frame members to move said bars with a.

criss-cross motion across the spaces between the same.

5. In a material feeding mechanism, the combination of a material chute open at its bottom, a plurality of horizontally spaced bars extending across such bottom, a plurality of spaced bars above said bars and in staggered relation therewith, the intermediate portions of such bars extending laterally of the plane of the ends thereof, and means adapted to impart a reciprocal scissor movement to said bars across the spaces between the same.

6. In a'material feeding mechanism, the combination of a material chute open at its bottom, two frame members mounted one on each side of such bottom opening, a plurality of bars, movably secured to said frame members and mounted in horizontally spaced relation in two vertically spaced planes with the spaced bars in one plane in staggered relation to the spaced `bars of the other plane and means adapted to effect relative movement of said frame members whereby they are continuously reciprocated relatively during operation of the mechanism.

7. In a material feeding mechanism, the com- I bination of a material chute open at its bottom, frame members mounted at opposite sides thereof, an oscillatable driving member horizontally disposed paralled to said frame members, a pluralityof bars spanning the spaces between said driving member and said frame members, and supported thereby, each of lsaid bars being slidably and pivotally secured to one of said supporting members and pivotally secured to said driving member, a plurality of bars aiiixed to said supporting members across the bottom opening in spaced relation in a horizontal plane Which is verticallyspaced from said first-named bars, said last-named-bars being in staggered relation with said first-named bars, and means adapted to oscillate said driving member in the plane dened by the bars pivoted` thereto.

8. In a material feeding mechanism, the combination of a material chute open at its bottom, frame members supported on opposite sides thereof, a plurality of spaced bars supported by said members and lying in a horizontal plane beneath the bottom of said chute, a plurality of spaced bars lying in a horizontal plane disposed in spaced rrelationship with said first-named bars and inlast-named bars havand the other end re- `rection transverse to the length of said bars.

MAHLON E. FIRST. 

